Posted by Jim DeWitt on August 10, 2012 at 12:56 AM
As many of you know, my wife has a USF&WS permit to keep educational owls. In captivity, the talons and bill don't get enough wear and have to be clipped. I thought you'd enjoy a photo of Yoda, the little Boreal Owl, immediately afterwards. He's not happy.
The difference in pupil size is a result of a serous cataract in the left eye. You can see part of the abnormality. It's one of the reasons he's a captive bird. He's at least 12 years old, ancient in Boreal Owl years.
Yoda has done hundreds of educational presentations. He's an experienced show business pro, a trouper. Worth every frozen mouse thawing in the refrigerator...
Wonderful image! Didn't know you were an owl "daddy." It must be extremely rewarding to spend intimate time with these little guys.
thanks for posting this!
Sandy
Posted by Richard Ditch on August 10, 2012 at 1:42 PM
Neat.
In our NJ days we were volunteers with NJ Audubon and helped at the nearest nature center. The Director of the center was Alice Forshee who had the required state and federal permits and kept a couple non-releasable owls (Eastern Screech and Barn). We'd also get to meet the occasional injured bird brought in (Great Horned and Saw-whet usually).
Here I am back in the 1980's with a Northern Saw-whet Owl brought in for a check-up. It had landed on a fishing boat off the Jersey coast in an exhausted state. It was successfully released back to the wild after proper feeding. By the way, that was a Nikon FE or FE2 and a Nikkor 105 - one of my all-time favorite camera/lens combos.
Posted by Jim Hackley on August 10, 2012 at 4:26 PM
Very cool name, I remember reading about these owls on your blog, glad to hear all the good Yoda has done over the years. I hope you have more than one refrigerator.
Discussion
3 repliesThe difference in pupil size is a result of a serous cataract in the left eye. You can see part of the abnormality. It's one of the reasons he's a captive bird. He's at least 12 years old, ancient in Boreal Owl years.
Yoda has done hundreds of educational presentations. He's an experienced show business pro, a trouper. Worth every frozen mouse thawing in the refrigerator...
thanks for posting this!
Sandy
In our NJ days we were volunteers with NJ Audubon and helped at the nearest nature center. The Director of the center was Alice Forshee who had the required state and federal permits and kept a couple non-releasable owls (Eastern Screech and Barn). We'd also get to meet the occasional injured bird brought in (Great Horned and Saw-whet usually).
Here I am back in the 1980's with a Northern Saw-whet Owl brought in for a check-up. It had landed on a fishing boat off the Jersey coast in an exhausted state. It was successfully released back to the wild after proper feeding. By the way, that was a Nikon FE or FE2 and a Nikkor 105 - one of my all-time favorite camera/lens combos.